The present invention relates to hinges for mounting toilet seats and/or covers to the top of rearward extensions of toilets. More particularly it relates to such hinge assemblies that permit most of the assembly parts to be readily removed from the toilet to facilitate cleaning.
In designing toilet hinge assemblies, it is preferred to design systems that can easily be installed by untrained consumers. Thus, many such hinge assemblies pre-assemble the hinge to the seat and cover, and then affix the assembly via hinge posts to a rearward extension of a toilet bowl. In such constructions the posts are typically bolted to the rearward extension using a bolt-like fastener that extends down through the extension. A nut or similar device is then screwed onto the fastener from underneath the rearward extension to clamp the assembly to the extension.
Since the consumer may need access to the underside of the extension to adjust the nut during assembly or removal, and in any event the assembly or removal can require tools in some of these designs, these assemblies are intended to be essentially permanently affixed (with perhaps an occasional tightening if the seat works its way loose). This can create a problem because the area around such hinge posts (behind and under the cover and seat) can be difficult to completely clean. In this regard, urine and other contaminants can collect around the hinge posts, with the subsequent development of an undesirable appearance or smell, or unsanitary conditions.
As such, there have been a number of attempts to develop toilet seat hinge assemblies where the seat and cover and associated pivot pins can be removed from the toilet relatively easily, and then (after cleaning) be relatively easily reconnected. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,159,548, 4,326,307, 4,965,889, 5,933,875, and 6,070,295. See also GB 2,280,219 A.
These systems do achieve better cleaning by leaving only small hinge posts essentially permanently affixed to the bowl rearward extension, while providing readily releasable subassemblies that can removably link up with these posts. However, these prior art systems have a variety of deficiencies.
For example, some rely on a relatively weak connection between the subassembly and hinge posts such that the subassembly can accidentally be knocked off the posts. Others rely on relatively weak parts which may have a high incidence of breakage over prolonged use. Still others require relatively complex multi-part assemblies, which increase the cost of production and may require some consumer training.
Still other assemblies require tools for the disassembly for cleaning purposes. Yet others require a consumer to touch portions of the assembly that may themselves be contaminated.
Hence, it can be seen that a need still exists for an improved toilet seat hinge assembly, particularly one which facilitates removal of the seat and cover for cleaning purposes.